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Here's Why Indian Cities Are Repainting Zebra Crossings In 3D
Here's Why Indian Cities Are Repainting Zebra Crossings In 3D

News18

time6 hours ago

  • Automotive
  • News18

Here's Why Indian Cities Are Repainting Zebra Crossings In 3D

Last Updated: In a country where the honk is louder than the right-of-way, and where pedestrian lives are often treated as expendable, a painted illusion might seem like a small thing. It happens without warning. You're driving through a quiet lane in Dehradun or Leh, and suddenly, you hit the brakes. No, there isn't a roadblock. What looks like a row of floating white blocks is actually a zebra crossing painted to trick your eyes and make you slow down. Across Indian cities, a quiet transformation is underway. Zebra crossings are being painted to look three-dimensional. Not to impress. But to protect. These aren't your average white stripes, they're visual illusions, designed to jolt drivers out of their autopilot and remind them: someone might be crossing the road. Not Just Paint – A Psychological Nudge A 3D zebra crossing is nothing more than paint. But it behaves like much more. Using dark and light shades often white, grey, and black, these stripes are drawn in a way that creates a floating effect. To the human eye, especially when driving at speed, they appear to rise off the road. It's an old artist's trick called trompe-l'œil, or 'deceive the eye." But in this case, the illusion isn't art. It's traffic design, and it's rooted in psychology. The idea is simple: if a driver thinks there's an obstacle ahead, they slow down instinctively, even if it's not real. The first whispers of this trend began nearly a decade ago. In 2016, civic bodies in Ahmedabad painted 3D crossings outside schools. Since then, other cities have joined in: In Leh, the illusion worked so well in its trial run that it drew national attention. Chennai tested 3D crossings near accident-prone junctions. In Aizawl, officials quietly adopted it in school zones and residential streets. Even some parts of Delhi and Pune have begun limited experiments. No heavy machinery. No road reconstruction. Just some paint, technique, and an understanding of how the human brain reacts to visual threat. Why This Works, At Least Initially The human brain is hardwired to avoid risk. When we perceive depth on a flat surface, our reflexes take over. This is the premise that makes 3D crossings work. Research backs it up. In a 2020 study conducted by the Indian Institute of Science in Bengaluru, drivers were shown to reduce their speed by nearly 30% when faced with a 3D crossing, especially in unfamiliar areas. The illusion forces a moment of hesitation just long enough to prevent a potential accident. There's a Catch The effectiveness of these crossings depends on surprise. And like any illusion, once people figure it out, the magic fades. In areas where the 3D effect became familiar, studies have shown that drivers stopped reacting after a few months. It becomes background noise. Just another road feature. That's why cities have to keep repainting them, rotating designs, or using them selectively near schools, intersections, or blind curves. Unlike speed breakers, which work by force, 3D crossings work by suggestion. And suggestion is fragile. A Country Where Pedestrians Are at Risk India remains one of the most dangerous places in the world to be a pedestrian. According to National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data, more than 27,000 pedestrian deaths were recorded in 2022 amounting to around 75 every single day. Many of these deaths occur not on highways but in cities and towns where people walk, but vehicles rule. In smaller cities, where there are no footbridges, poor street lighting, and virtually no pedestrian right-of-way enforcement, even crossing the road is a gamble. And while traffic lights and elevated walkways are expensive to build, 3D zebra crossings cost almost nothing in comparison. So Why Isn't Every City Doing It? Several reasons. And yet, in places where they've been tried Aizawl, parts of Chennai, even in Ladakh they've had a quiet impact. What You Can Do As a Citizen If you live in a city that hasn't explored this yet, ask why not. This is not about gimmicks. It's about reclaiming a few feet of road for the people walking across it. A Pause Worth Painting top videos View all In a country where the honk is louder than the right-of-way, and where pedestrian lives are often treated as expendable, a painted illusion might seem like a small thing. But when drivers pause even briefly because of a trick of the eye, that pause becomes precious. It could be the pause that saves a schoolchild. An elderly man. A vegetable vendor. Or even you. And that makes the illusion very real indeed. Get Latest Updates on Movies, Breaking News On India, World, Live Cricket Scores, And Stock Market Updates. Also Download the News18 App to stay updated! tags : accident death road accident road safety traffic congestion zebra view comments Location : Bengaluru, India, India First Published: July 29, 2025, 16:47 IST News explainers Here's Why Indian Cities Are Repainting Zebra Crossings In 3D Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

On Camera, Elephant Chases Workers Near Coffee Estate In Karnataka
On Camera, Elephant Chases Workers Near Coffee Estate In Karnataka

NDTV

time7 hours ago

  • General
  • NDTV

On Camera, Elephant Chases Workers Near Coffee Estate In Karnataka

Over 15 estate workers narrowly escaped a wild elephant that charged at them near a coffee estate in Pollibetta, Kodagu (Coorg), on Monday morning. The incident was caught on camera. The footage, dated July 28, shows a group of workers breaking into a frantic run. Moments later, an elephant is seen charging down the same road. The workers manage to flee into a gated compound just in time, with the elephant following closely behind. The elephant approached the compound gate, appearing to push it open. But it stopped, turned around, and disappeared into the surrounding bushes. Though no injuries were reported, the close call has left estate workers too fearful to return. Many have stayed away since the incident and are demanding swift action from authorities to ensure their safety. Forest officials have announced plans to conduct a drive on Wednesday to steer the elephant back into its natural habitat. Kodagu, known for its dense forests and coffee plantations, has witnessed a rise in human-elephant conflicts in recent years due to habitat loss and shrinking corridors for wildlife movement. Located in the Western Ghats, these lands once supported elephant corridors, but over the past two decades, forest cover has declined by about 18 per cent, with nearly 46 per cent lost in dry deciduous areas, forcing elephants into nearby human-dominated zones. At least 44 people have died in wild elephant attacks in Kodagu between 2019 and 2024, reported The Kodagu Express. Hotspots include Madikeri taluk, the Nagarahole Tiger Reserve periphery, and Virajpet. With around 2,000 elephants living in Kodagu (nearly a third of Karnataka's entire elephant population), encounters have become more frequent and intense. To address the crisis, the Karnataka government has sanctioned Rs 40 crore for immediate mitigation. Measures include trenching, railway barricades, solar fencing, and elephant-proof trenches in high-risk areas like Virajpet. A major component of this plan is the proposed relocation of 185 conflict-prone elephants, especially from southern Kodagu and the Kutta border zone. The state is also investing in science-driven solutions. A Rs 4.7 crore partnership between the Forest Department and the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) aims to study elephant behaviour, track movements via satellite, and develop predictive models to prevent future conflict. The five-year study will also focus on mapping historical migration corridors and understanding the health and stress levels of these elephants.

Soundarya Composite PU College gets air purifier donated by IISc
Soundarya Composite PU College gets air purifier donated by IISc

The Hindu

time8 hours ago

  • Science
  • The Hindu

Soundarya Composite PU College gets air purifier donated by IISc

During the Guru Vandana celebration at Soundarya Composite PU College in Bengaluru on July 26, a Smart Air Purifier was inaugurated. Donated by the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), the Cyclofine Air Purifier was developed in collaboration with IIT Madras. Praveen C. Ramamurthy, Professor from the Centre for Nano Science and Engineering (CeNSE), IISc, explained its features and environmental impact. The purifier installation marks a move towards cleaner air and sustainable campus practices.

Hyderabad startup test fires India's first hydrogen-oxygen propulsion engine
Hyderabad startup test fires India's first hydrogen-oxygen propulsion engine

Time of India

timea day ago

  • Business
  • Time of India

Hyderabad startup test fires India's first hydrogen-oxygen propulsion engine

Hyderabad: Spacetech startup Stardour, a stealth-mode startup based out of Hyderabad, announced on Monday that it successfully test fired India's first hydrogen and oxygen propulsion engine, which it developed in-house. The sustainable engine, tested at the Indian Institute of Science in Bengaluru, will power Stardour's flagship next-generation orbital transfer vehicle (OTV) called Lucas. The startup, established in 2020 and led by former ISRO scientist Rama Rao, expects the maiden launch of Lucas in the third quarter of 2027. Lucas is designed to carry out scientific and commercial expeditions across low Earth orbit (LEO), geostationary orbit (GEO), as well as the Moon and Mars, among others. You Can Also Check: Hyderabad AQI | Weather in Hyderabad | Bank Holidays in Hyderabad | Public Holidays in Hyderabad An OTV is essentially a space tug that transports payloads such as satellites from one orbit to another, from a launch vehicle's drop-off point to the final orbit. It can also perform other tasks like orbit changes, orbital refuelling, spacecraft repair, life extension services, and debris removal. 'This successful test fire is not just a technical milestone, it's a signal to the world that India is ready to lead in the new era of sustainable and autonomous in-space logistics,' said Stardour director Rama Rao. According to IISc professor Pratikash Panda, the successful test-firing of Stardour's hydrogen-oxygen engine is a testament to the Indian startup's commitment to green propulsion technology and innovation in reusable spacecraft. The bootstrapped startup, founded by Sankarsh Chanda, is working on green propulsion, orbital mobility, and deep-space exploration.

Hyderabad startup Stardour successfully test fires India's 1st Hydrogen-Oxygen propulsion engine
Hyderabad startup Stardour successfully test fires India's 1st Hydrogen-Oxygen propulsion engine

Time of India

timea day ago

  • Science
  • Time of India

Hyderabad startup Stardour successfully test fires India's 1st Hydrogen-Oxygen propulsion engine

Representative Image HYDERABAD: Spacetech startup Stardour, a stealth-mode startup based out of Hyderabad, has on Monday said it has successfully test fired India's first hydrogen and oxygen propulsion engine that it developed in-house. The sustainable engine, which was tested at the Indian Institute of Science in Bengaluru, will power Stardour's flagship nextgen orbital transfer vehicle (OTV) called Lucas. The startup, which was set up in 2020 and is led by former ISRO scientist Rama Rao, expects the maiden launch of Lucas in the third quarter of 2027. Lucas is being designed to carry out scientific and commercial expeditions across low earth orbit (LEO), geostationary orbit (GEO) as well as the moon and Mars, among others. You Can Also Check: Hyderabad AQI | Weather in Hyderabad | Bank Holidays in Hyderabad | Public Holidays in Hyderabad An OTV is nothing but a space tug that picks up payloads such as satellites from one orbit to another, from a launch vehicle's drop-off point to final orbit, and can also conduct other jobs like orbit changes, orbital refuelling and spacecraft repair, life extension services and debris removal. 'This successful test fire is not just a technical milestone; it's a signal to the world that India is ready to lead in the new era of sustainable and autonomous in-space logistics,' said Stardour director Rama Rao. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Find out: this is how you clean your yoga mat! Kingdom Of Men Undo According to IISc professor Pratikash Panda, the successful test-firing of Stardour's hydrogen-oxygen engine is a testament to the Indian startup's commitment to green propulsion technology and innovation in reusable spacecraft. The bootstrapped startup, founded by Sankarsh Chanda, is working on green propulsion, orbital mobility, and deep-space exploration.

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